Thomas b



(No Model.)

T. B. LEPLEY.

CAN OPENER.

Patented Jan. 2, 1894.

UNITED STATES A'IIENT FFICE.

THOMAS B. LEPLEY, OF LA GRANDE, OREGON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO H. RUHNSTROTH, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,959, dated January 2, 1894.

Application filed June 15,1893. Serial No. 477,718. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. LEPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Grande, in the county of Union and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Oan- Opener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in can openers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of can openers, to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient one, and to enable a can to be readily opened without forcing the severed portion of the top within the can.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 isa perspective view of a can opener constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the knife. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the adj ustable can-holder.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a frame of approximately inverted U-shape, provided at the lower ends of its sides with feet 2, which are secured upon a base a, and having at its top crosspiece a centrally-located guiding sleeve 4, receivinga stem 5, of a knife 6, whichis adapted to be raised and lowered by an operating lever 7 to sever, partially, the top of a can. The stem 5 has its upper end bifurcated and pivoted to the operating lever, which has one end shaped into a handle and its other end bifurcated and adjustably pivoted to an arm 8, and the latter has its lower end provided with a foot "9 pivoted to the frame. The frame is constructed of flanged metal and is preferably T-shaped in cross-section; and the foot 9 is pivoted to the outer flange of the frame. The upper end of the arm 8 is provided with a series of perforations 10, to receive the pivot 11, which connects the rear end of the operating lever to the arm to afford an adjustment.

The can-holder 12 is adjustably secured to the sides of the frame. It has a central opening 12, extending inward from one of its 1 holder.

sides, and it is provided on its lower face at the back of the opening 12 with a depending curved flange 13, to form a guide for, and to receive the top or upp'r edge of a can.

The knife 6 is cylindrical and is provided with tapering cutting blades 14, having oppositely-inclined divergent cutting edges; and they are separated at their points by an approximately Y-shaped opening 15, which causes an unsevered portion to be left between the blades to prevent the top of the cam being forced'inward. The unsevered portion remains until the blades 14 have finished cutting, or nearly so, clined supplemental blade 16, arranged at the top of the Y-shaped opening and extending inward and adapted, when the knife is withdrawn or lifted, to carry with it the severed portion of the top of the can. cylindrical knife is provided with a head 17, which is secured to the lower end of the stem.

It will be seen that the can opener is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction idly and safely without forcing the severed portions within the cans.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

The adjustability of the can holder is obtained by series of parallel horizontal flanges and it is then cut by an in- The top of the 7 0 and that it is adapted to open cans mp from the principle or 18, which receive the side edges 19 of the can Any number of these horizontal flanges 18, which are arranged on the inner faces of the sides of the frame 1, maybe provided and the can holder has at the front edges of the side edges 19 stop lugs 20 which are formed integral with the can holder, and which prevent the same being moved rearward too far.

What I claim is- 1. In a can opener, the combination of a 5 frame having vertical sides, a can-holder adjustably secured to the sides and having a knife-opening and arranged to-engage the top of the can to secure the same upon the frame and provided at the back of the opening with a depending curved flange to form a guide for cans, and to support a can at the rear upper edge thereof an arm pivoted to the frame, a lever fulcrumed on the arm, a stem pivoted to the lever and mounted on the frame, and a knife secured to and carried by the stem, substantially as described.

In a can opener, acylindrical knife pro- I vided with opposite tapering blades having inclined diverging cutting edges, and having a Y-shaped space separating the blades and provided at the top of the space with an inchned supplemental blade extending inward,

substantially as and forthe purpose described.

3. In a can opener, the combination of a base, an inverted U-shaped frame secured to the base and provided at its top with aguidmg sleeve, an arm provided at its lower end with a foot pivoted to one side of the frame,

upon the base and provided with a knife-opening and having a depending curved guideflange arranged at the back of the opening, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4-. In a can opener, the combination of a frame having vertical sides and provided on the inner faces of the same with a series of horizontal flanges arranged in pairs, an adjustable can holder arranged to engage the top of a can to secure the same upon the frame and adapted to fit between the said flanges and provided at its front with stop lugs and having an opening and provided at the back of the same with a curved flange, and a vertically movable knife, substantially as described. I r

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS E. LEPLEY.

lVitnesses:

A. W. HINDMAN, 'O. H. FINN. 

